Initium Novum
by XxEyelinerHeartsxX
Summary: It is the year 2149 and the Earth is nothing but a vast wasteland with humans on the verge of extinction. When Ariel Miller and her brother Lonnie get selected to go to Terra Nova, new beginnings await them. Will Ariel finally be able to leave her past behind or will it all come back to haunt her?
1. Good News

**Well guys, I am pretty daggon excited about this story! I love Terra Nova to death and I was devastated when it got cancelled! One thing I need to clear up is yes, there will be interracial love in this. If it offends you, don't read! Simple as that! If it doesn't, well, enjoy the story! :)**

* * *

**UPDATE 5/24/2013: I forgot to mention that if you're having a hard time imagining what the characters look like, you can go to my file to refer to them! Thanks!**

* * *

_"At the dawn of the 21st century, the world is on the verge of environmental collapse. Mankind's hope for survival lies 85 million years in the past."_

It was the time of the 8th Pilgrimage and Ariel Miller was devastated when she found out that her brother, Lonnie Miller, did not win the trip to Terra Nova in the lottery like they had hoped. She sighed in her breathing mask as she walked past families excited on their way to their destination. She arrived in the apartment building in which she lived with her brother and stepped inside the elevator.

Their mother passed away from an asthma attack that the horrible air quality with which the earth was doomed with did not help. Their father was offered a job by a man named Weaver and he accepted in order to be able to provide for his kids. He was not allowed to discuss what his job was but they did not pry because he provided food on the table. He himself did not know why he was given half of the tasks he was given, but he performed them in order to be able to provide for his family.

As soon as Lonnie turned eighteen, their father convinced him to move to Chicago and to take Ariel with him. It was merely months after the first pilgrimage was deemed a success and he wanted them to be nearby if they were to be selected to go to Terra Nova on future pilgrimages. He paid for their move and their first payment on their apartment. He offered to pay their rent every month but Lonnie insisted on getting a job because he did not want his dad to struggle to make ends meet. Their father accepted but insisted on paying for their chance to Terra Nova every year until they won. As much as he begged and pleaded, Weaver would not allow him to move claiming he was one of his most needed men. He promised them that if he was not around by the time they were selected to go on a pilgrimage, he would follow them one day. Ever since then, he would pay to have Lonnie's name in the lottery to win as much as possible to increase his chances of getting drawn. Ariel would automatically go with him since he became her legal guardian when she was ten.

Alas, five years have passed and Lonnie had no luck. Ariel walked along the dark and unpleasant corridors of her apartment building and removed her breathing mask as she entered the apartment of their good friends, the Shannons. Lonnie was already there chatting with Elisabeth Shannon and her son Josh Shannon when she arrived.

"Hi Ariel." Elisabeth smiled and greeted her.

"Hi." Ariel smiled back.

"Well hey, someone finally decides to show up." Lonnie smirked to his sister.

"Oh, bite me." Ariel retorted sarcastically causing him to chuckle and shake his head at her and causing Elisabeth to chuckle as she went into the other room.

The Shannons were good friends with them ever since they moved in next door to them. Ariel and Josh got along since they were the same age with Maddy being only one year younger than them. They were inseparable ever since and even though Jim and Elisabeth Shannon were older than Lonnie, they got along with him just like they would with anybody.

Jim entered the apartment removing his breathing mask and with that Josh jumped down from the shelf he was sitting on and greeted him.

"Hey buddy." he greeted back as he set down a brown paper bag.

"What's in the bag?" Josh asked reaching for it until Jim stopped him.

"Come on, what's in the bag?" Josh grinned as he pressed on about it.

Jim pulled out an orange which in that day and age was a rare find.

"No way!" Josh said amazed.

"Where'd you get it?" Ariel asked him equally amazed.

"Get what?" Elisabeth asked as she reentered the kitchen holding their three-year-old daughter Zoe. Zoe was born illegally when Ariel and Josh were twelve. Ariel and Lonnie were trusted to keep the secret and helped in any way they could to cover it up. He arranged to let them have her at their father's house because it was in a secluded area. They spent quite a while there, but eventually were able to return home. However, Ariel had a feeling it was only a matter of time before they were caught if they too were not recruited on the next pilgrimage to Terra Nova.

"Dad scored an orange." Josh informed her.

"No!" she exclaimed just as shocked. "From where?"

"Man, I can't even remember the last time I've seen one of those." Lonnie spoke up.

"Me neither." Jim smiled at him.

Elisabeth sat Zoe on the table and allowed her to touch it and Josh offered to peel it for her.

Jim gave Elisabeth a kiss on the lips as she proceeded to ask about his day.

"I missed you." he told her. "How's yours?"

She then told him about her patients at work.

"It's getting worse and worse out there." Lonnie commented.

"Yeah, even a rebreather isn't enough anymore." Jim agreed.

Josh and Ariel were playing with Zoe when Maddy quickly rushed into the apartment.

"They're coming!" she urgently informed them. "I was downstairs when I saw them and they're on their way now!"

Lonnie removed the vent cover so that Elisabeth could hide Zoe inside. Everybody could tell she was scared but he and Jim had to replace the cover so that Jim could answer the door. It was population control and they informed him that they were being investigated.

"Um, no, there must be some mistake, I'm a cop too." Jim tried but to no avail. The man shoved past him into the house and ordered everyone to step outside. He asked Lonnie and Ariel what they were doing there.

"We're neighbors and family friends." she informed him. "We're just visiting."

"That's nice." he sarcastically said. "Step outside.

As they searched and knocked everything around, Zoe could not contain her fear and let out a small cry. Then the inevitable that Ariel feared happened. The next thing she knew Jim started towards them with Lonnie attempting to hold him back. Unfortunately, he broke free then assaulted the authority and an all-out brawl happened. Jim got tased, arrested, and ended up going to prison.

Lonnie tried to see if he could adopt Zoe but kept being rejected and told he did not qualify due to the fact that he lived next door to the violators of the population law.

* * *

Two years have passed and Josh and Ariel were hanging out in the kitchen of her and Lonnie's apartment. Josh had just arrived home from hanging out with his girlfriend, Kara, and decided to keep Ariel company when he found out that she was alone. Kara did not mind because she trusted Ariel, but more importantly she trusted Josh no matter what girl he was hanging out with. That was one thing Josh loved about her.

"Just do it already." said Ariel.

"Do what?" Josh asked.

She gave him a teasing look and let the words "propose" pass freely between her lips.

"Very funny." Josh said. "I'm only seventeen."

"And this wasteland of a planet ain't getting any younger." she retorted.

"I'll get married when you do." Josh countered her.

"Ha, good one!" she said. "I don't even have a boyfriend."

"Why not?" Josh asked.

"I just simply don't want one." she told him. "After dealing with Dale, I just don't want one."

Ariel was in an abusive relationship with Dale, an eighteen-year-old soldier, when she was sixteen. She only put up with it for six months before deciding to leave him. However, before she could leave him, he forced her into giving him the one thing that still resembled innocence within her. Lonnie found him and mercilessly beat and hospitalized him. He got off with a one thousand dollar fine considering the circumstances but Dale feared him from then on. Ever since then, she never let anyone that was not already close get close to her again. This all happened one year after Jim Shannon got arrested for assaulting population control.

"You know, not every guy is going to hurt you like Dale, Ariel." Josh told her. "I'll be god damned if I let it happen again."

"Josh, it's not your fault." she said softly. "It took me six months to tell anyone."

"I know but you're like a little sister to me." Josh said. I'm supposed to watch out for you."

"I'm not little, Josh. I'm the same age as you." she gave an amusing retort.

"Yeah, but I've got you beat by a few months." he smirked. "Plus, you're smaller than me, therefore, you're little." he ruffled her hair.

"Whatever!" Ariel laughed. "I just really wanna get to Terra Nova to start over."

"I don't." Josh said. "Unless of course Kara was going too."

"Well let's hope that if your family goes, Kara's does too." she said.

"Yeah, let's hope so." Josh said.

Just then, Lonnie entered the apartment and ran up to Ariel swinging her off her feet in a hug and spinning her around.

"Whoa, what's with the craziness, Lonnie?" she laughed at him as he set her down to her feet.

"It finally happened!" he exclaimed. "All those years of waiting have finally paid off! We're going to Terra Nova!"

Tears rolled down Ariel's cheeks as she let out the scream she could not contain and she jumped into her brother's arms as he lifted her off the ground in another joyful hug.

"Hi Mom, hi Maddy." Josh acknowledged Elisabeth who followed in behind Lonnie. Ariel did not notice her until Josh spoke up. Elisabeth had a joyful smile across her face as well.

"Mom, what's the good news that was so great that we had to wait until Josh was in our presence for you to share?" Maddy asked already having an idea judging by Lonnie's news to Ariel and the fact that they were in their apartment.

"We have finally been recruited to Terra Nova!" she said.

"That's great!" Ariel exclaimed. "We're already like family and we get to go together!"

"This is amazing!" Maddy shrieked. "When are we leaving?"

"In one month!" Lonnie said excitedly. She hugged Lonnie and he returned the hug in the same way he returned it to Ariel.

"What about Kara?" Josh asked. "Is her family going too?"

Elisabeth's face immediately fell.

"I'm sorry Josh." she said. "But when I got to have a look at the list of who was going, her name was not on it."

Josh immediately stood up and quickly found his way out of the apartment. The whole room was silent and Ariel immediately felt bad because she knew exactly how Josh felt.

"I'll go find him." she offered. She was always good at getting through to him.

"Thank you." Elisabeth said. "Maddy and I will head home. Good night, Lonnie."

"Good night." he said. "Don't worry. He'll come around."

"I sure hope so." And with that, Elisabeth and Maddy went home.

Ariel started towards the door.

"Ariel." Lonnie said causing her to turn to face him. "Don't stay out too late okay?"

"I won't." she said. "I know exactly where he's going."

She immediately left the apartment and started off to the place she knew he was going. Kara's house.

**Well, I hope y'all like my twist of the story! R&R! :)**


	2. A New Beginning

Ariel arrived at Kara's front door and knocked. When Kara answered, she immediately let her in because she knew why she was there. Ariel followed Kara to where Josh was sitting.

"Sorry for running off like that, Ariel." Josh's face was tear-stained and his eyes were turgid.

"I know." she said.

Kara comforted Josh and kissed him on the cheek.

"I hate my dad so much! Why did he have to leave me, my mom, and my sister to fend for ourselves like that?!" Josh started going off on another tangent.

"Josh, he panicked because they were taking Zoe!" Ariel stated disbelieving. "You know that!"

"He did what he felt was right." Kara told him soothingly.

Ariel could see the look in his eyes and went into an immediate outrage.

"I can't believe you!" she said. "You are stupid if you're thinking about staying here!"

"Don't worry." Kara said to Ariel. "I talked some sense into him. I told him if he doesn't go, I will break up with him, because he would be absolutely _crazy_ not to take this chance!"

"Thank you. I wish you could go too though because I'm gonna miss you like crazy."

"I'll miss you too." Kara nearly whispered. "Both of you."

"Josh, we better get home though." Ariel told him. "Your mother is worried sick."

"Yeah, I know. Just give me a minute."

"Okay, I'll meet you outside." Ariel informed him.

"Uh huh." Josh said as he started kissing Kara.

As Ariel exited the apartment rolling her eyes, Josh swung Kara off her feet and kissed her while she was in the air, causing her to giggle. Ariel arrived outside of the entire building and waited for Josh. The next thing she knew somebody came up behind her and covered her eyes with their hands.

"Very funny, Josh." she laughed. "Let's go."

Then she turned around and was faced with the last person she wanted to see followed by an immediate face-fall, which only made him smirk at her.

"What do you want, Dale?" she managed to state dauntlessly.

"You." he said. "You have something I want."

_Oh no!,_ she thought. _He can't possibly know about..._

"What is it?" she asked wanting to make sure she was wrong.

"I think you know." he whispered as he pushed her against the wall into the alley of the building placing his fingers perfectly on her crotch.

She let out multiple heavy breaths and closed her eyes to prevent herself from looking at him.

"I can see you want it too." he whispered which immediately told her he did not know about Terra Nova.

_Thank God!_ She thought before shouting the word "no" and attempting to push him away.

"Shhhh." he put his hand over her mouth causing her to let out muffled cries. She could tell that he was drunk.

"I think I'll have to knock you out and drag you a little further into this alley to get you to cooperate.." he seductively threatened her.

"Like hell you will." came a voice behind him before he was grabbed by the front of his shirt and punched him.

"Josh!" Ariel said.

Josh ignored her and continued punching him. Since he was drunk his blows were a piece of cake to block so with one final blow to the nose, he sent him into the wall and caused him to sink to the ground with a bloody nose nearly unconscious.

"I'll get you for this, Shannon!" he wearily stated before finally passing out.

Josh had his arm around Ariel as they exited the alley.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm so sorry!" he said. "I shouldn't have let you go outside."

"Josh, it's fine." she uttered. "I'm fine."

Josh looked at her and hugged her.

"I don't know what this guy's issue is." he told her. "Or how he's still even a soldier."

"Me either, but you need to get your ass home because your mom and sister are worried sick."

"Yeah yeah, I know."

"Let's go!"

* * *

Ariel and Josh arrived at the apartment and Josh walked in with Ariel following behind.

"Mrs. Shannon!" Ariel called. "I got him!"

"Oh good!" she said. "Thank you so much!"

Ariel and Josh noticed Lonnie was there too.

"Lonnie, what are you doing here?" Ariel asked. "I thought you'd be in bed. You have work tomorrow."

"Well, I'll live." Lonnie said. "Mr. Shannon is still in prison."

Ariel, at that instant, realized that she forgot to brood about that factor when she was excited to be going to Terra Nova.

"Don't worry." Lonnie said. "I thought of a plan."

Ariel looked up at him shocked. "Already?"

"Well, I did have two hours considering you stayed out later than I intended." Lonnie pointed out.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "The train ran a little late and then I had to wait on Josh to finish making out with his girlfriend!"

"Hey!" Josh playfully nudged her.

"Ariel, it's okay." Lonnie laughed. "Calm down, I'm just picking on you."

"Well, you always do." Ariel retorted causing him to chuckle once more.

"So what's the plan?" she asked.

Lonnie immediately got serious again then proceeded to pull an object out of his pocket. Ariel could not believe what he was holding. It was a laser cutter.

"Wha- what are you going to do with that?" she asked.

"Mrs. Shannon is going to visit Mr. Shannon in three days." he said as he slowly taped it on the inside of a rebreather. "And she is going to give him this mask to help him cope with the bad air the prisons have. Even though I got off with a one-thousand dollar fine for beating the ever-living shit out of Dale, I still had to spend one night in a jail cell and that alone made me realize how shitty that air is."

Ariel gave him a sympathetic look.

"Now, don't worry." Lonnie said. "Everything will be fine. We should get home so Elisabeth, Josh, and Maddy can rest."

Ariel agreed and hugged Josh and Mrs. Shannon good night. When she went to bed that night, she knew that when the day of the pilgrimage came, it was going to be a wild ride.

* * *

"Terra Nova, a new world" A woman on the giant projector screen said. "A name that everyone, everywhere, has come to know as a symbol of hope."

Ariel half-listened as she was walking with Elisabeth, Josh, and Maddy. The woman went on about how scientists sent a probe through time and never heard back from it, and got to how it indicated that there was another time stream and a fracture in the space-time continuum. Then arrived at Hope Plaza and stepped off of the train.

"He was supposed to be on that train." Maddy said worried.

"Hell be here, Maddy." Elisabeth firmly reassured her. "Just keep your voice down."

"How do you know?" Ariel asked worrying about her brother too. Lonnie was away helping Jim with the plan.

She was disgusted by the giant billboards that stated "a family is of four" and "overpopulation equals extinction" causing her to roll her eyes.

_Give me a break!_ she thought.

"We have it all planned out." Elisabeth said. "Don't worry."

"Yeah, step one, Dad breaks out of a maximum security facility. Step two, Dad breaks _into_ a maximum security facility." Josh retorted sarcastically. "Piece of cake."

"Well you don't have to be so negative!" Ariel said. "They'll make it, I just know it!"

Before Josh could respond they got to the ID check and focused on getting through that. Even though Lonnie wasn't with Ariel, they let her go with them as soon as Elisabeth told them that Lonnie got tied up an extra few minutes and wanted them to watch out for her. When it checked out that Ariel did have an older brother and that he did have a job that would do something like that if needed, they let her continue to walk with them.

After their ID's checked out they continued to stand and wait for their turn to move forward. Josh looked at his plex and immediately turned around. Ariel noticed him staring back at Kara then smiled at them as they talked. They exchanged a few words then Josh touched his fingers to her's. Then he went back when it was time for them to move forward and Ariel formed a heart with her two hands towards Kara so that she could still tell her goodbye and that she loves her. Kara returned the gesture.

They grabbed their belongings off of the luggage conveyor belt and continued to move forward. Ariel received a message on her plex that read "take care of him" and smiled.

_I will, s_he mentally assured.

* * *

Lonnie was waiting in a small room with a man.

"He's late." the man told Lonnie. "Did he get caught already?"

"No." Lonnie told him. "He'll be here."

"Well if he doesn't, you owe me the other half of the money."

_God damn it, Mr. Shannon! _Lonnie thought. _Where are you?_

Just then the door opened and in walked Jim.

"Mr. Shannon!" Lonnie was glad to see him.

"Hi, Lonnie." he smiled. "Long time no see."

"You're late." the guard stated the obvious. "The money first!"

Jim roughly handed him the money then walked over to the huge backpack Lonnie was sitting next to.

"Remember, if we get caught, you are both on your own." the man informed them.

"Well it's a good thing we're not gonna get caught then." Lonnie remarked.

* * *

"Jim where are you?" Elisabeth asked rhetorically breaking Ariel out of her thoughts.

"If Dad and Lonnie don't make it do we still have to go?" Josh insensitively asked.

"Josh!" Ariel scolded.

"They'll make it!" Maddy said. "They both will!"

She turned around hoping to see them following behind.

"They have to." she said to herself.

Ariel put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. She was scared too because if Jim got caught, Lonnie would've gotten caught too. Then she'd lose her brother too. A few minutes later the portal luminously dilated as they set foot on the bridge of Hope Plaza which led to it.

* * *

Jim and Lonnie stood at the side of the line of people on the bridge that led to the portal.

"Well, this is it." Jim said. "We either make it or we both spend the rest of our lives in prison."

"Don't worry, Mr. Shannon." Lonnie said. "I've got your back."

"Let's go." Jim smiled at him as they stepped towards the bridge.

* * *

"I'm telling you they're not gonna show, something went wrong." Josh's negativity rose.

Before Ariel had a chance to react to Josh's pessimism, she looked back and noticed Jim walking side by side with Lonnie.

"Mom!" Maddy saw them too which caused Josh and Elisabeth to look back.

"Oh dear, thank God!" Elisabeth sighed relieved.

"Dad!" Maddy said as she hugged him.

"Lonnie!" Ariel gave the same gesture to Lonnie.

Jim and Lonnie both guided them to turn back facing forward and to walk ahead so they don't draw attention. Unfortunately, Jim and Lonnie both noticed the guards eying Jim.

"Fuck." Lonnie muttered under his breath.

"What?" Elisabeth started to panic.

"Take the pack." Jim said as he helped put it on Elisabeth's back.

"Whatever happens, all of you keep moving." Jim told everyone. "Go!"

Everyone walked again and Lonnie noticed Jim being stopped by a guard as he looked back.

"Ariel, I'm gonna go back and make sure Mr. Shannon makes it through okay." he told her. "Whatever you do, keep on going and don't stop!"

"But Lonnie, I'm not gonna go without you!" Ariel started to cry.

"Ariel, I'll be alright!" Lonnie firmly told her. "Just keep going. Jim and I will be right behind you. Now go! Catch up to the Shannons!"

Ariel gave him a reluctant look then did as he said trying to block the tears threatening to fall on her face.

"Mom!" Josh shouted.

"We have to keep going!" she said.

"If we go in there, we can't come back!" Josh told her.

"We will be right behind you." she reassured him with her hand on his cheek.

Ariel started to cry.

"I can't do it." she told Elisabeth.

"Sweetie, you have to!" she told her. "It's okay, all three of us will be right behind you!"

"I can't!" Ariel said. "I can't risk never seeing my brother again!"

"Sweetie, it's gonna be alright!"

"No!" Ariel tried to start back towards her brother but Josh grabbed her arms from behind. "Josh, let me go!"

"Ariel, come on!" he shouted. "It'll be okay!"

"Let me go!"

Josh knew she was going to be stubborn so he turned her around, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder and carried her towards the portal.

"NO!" she shouted unable to do anything about it.

The guards next to the portal seemed rather intrigued by the scene.

"I'm sorry about this." Josh told them. "She's just scared."

"Understandable." a guard told him as he set her down. They then guided her towards the portal. She looked back at Josh with eyes full of tears before finally turning and facing the portal. Then she finally walked through.

* * *

Lonnie arrived further down the bridge until he heard someone shout.

"Hey!" It was a guard. "Stop that man!"

Jim ran down the Hope Plaza bridge meeting up with Lonnie and they ran together. A guard grabbed a hold of Jim but Lonnie knocked him out and they continued to run. As they neared the portal, two of the guards held out their guns hoping to trip them but they were in sync with each other when they elbowed them straight out of the way with Jim confiscating a gun. The next thing they knew they were in a vast jungle with trees and they felt themselves growing disoriented from the new air they were not used to. Jim fell to the ground while Lonnie managed to hold his ground.

"He's going into hyper-oxide shock, CO2 now!" a nurse ordered.

"Dad!" Maddy shouted.

"Gun!" a soldier shouted before he and the rest of the soldiers pointed their guns at Jim.

"Get away from my family!" Jim shouted as he pointed the gun at everybody and Ariel, Elisabeth, Maddy, and Josh were pushed away from the huge backpack.

The guards ordered him to put the weapon down and Jim did so as he put his hands up.

"Check their pack full of weapons!" the guard ordered another soldier. A soldier then positioned his knife in his hand as he prepared to stab the backpack.

"NO!" Ariel, Lonnie, Jim, Elisabeth, Josh, and Maddy shouted in perfected unison.

Ariel broke down crying as Jim punched a soldier and Lonnie proceeded to punch a female soldier in order to get to the backpack before it was too late. Elisabeth unzipped the backpack to reveal none other than her illegal five-year-old daughter, Zoe. The guards all lowered their weapons as everyone reunited with the girl. Ariel broke down crying and landed on her knees. Lonnie helped her to her feet then hugged her. Then they proceeded to walk on their journey to the colony.

"So how much trouble are we gonna be in?" Elisabeth asked as they walked.

"Well, you were recruited." Jim pointed out to her. "If you are needed too much, they'll just let this slide."

"Yeah, me on the other hand, I'm pretty screwed." Lonnie said. "I blatantly helped an escaped convict into Terra Nova. But if anything happens, please take care of my sister."

"I will." Elisabeth reassured him.

Josh picked Zoe up and carried her and Ariel was still crying.

"Ariel?" Zoe said.

"Yes, sweetie?" Ariel responded.

"It's okay." she told her. "I'm okay now. You don't have to cry anymore."

Ariel smiled at her and the tears slowly stopped. She squeezed Zoe's hand before she decided to walk alongside Josh.

"Are those clouds?" Zoe asked referring to the white matter in the sky.

"Yes, sweetie." Jim told her. "They are."

"They're so white." she said amazed.

Suddenly the ground thudded and they heard roaring in the distance.

"It's okay." a woman said to Lonnie. "An Allosaur just tripped a mine. We're not much farther from the colony."

Lonnie politely smiled at her before realizing it was the soldier he assaulted.

"It's okay." she told him. "I'm not holding a grudge. I don't know what your relationship is with that little girl but you were obviously determined to protect her. I can respect that. But just be prepared for how Commander Taylor will feel."

"Thank you." Lonnie told her.

She was a very gorgeous soldier. She was going to have a black eye but he still saw how beautiful she was. She also had a British accent which Lonnie hated to admit, he was extremely attracted to.

"I'm Maya." she said. "Maya Reynolds."

"The name's Miller." Lonnie said. "Lonnie Miller."

Ariel rolled her eyes as she heard Lonnie pull the cheesy James Bond line behind her while the female soldier giggled.

Everybody finally emerged from the jungle and noticed wide open space. Then they noticed a fenced in area and the gate rising to let newcomers in. Ariel grew even more elated as their proximity increased, then when they finally entered their haven, she couldn't help but cry about how implausible everything seemed. They stopped at the main building where an old but fit man stood on the balcony and watched as people crowded around the building to listen to him make his mandatory speech.

"Citizens of 2149!" he started. "I'm Commander Nathaniel Taylor, but you probably already know that. Congratulations, each one of you is taking a first step just as I did seven years ago toward a new beginning. Together we are at the dawn of a new civilization."

Ariel listened intently to his speech.

"No pressure." he jokingly added causing Ariel to chuckle.

"The world we left behind fell victim to some of the basic instincts of our species." he reverted back to being serious. "Greed, war, ignorance."

That truthful statement caused everybody to look down in shame.

"We blew it!" Taylor put it simply. "We destroyed our home, but we have been entrusted with a second chance! A chance to start over and a chance to get it right!"

That statement cheered everybody right up.

"Welcome to Terra Nova, folks!" he concluded. "Welcome home."

Everybody clapped and cheered. Ariel hugged Maddy and Lonnie hugged Elisabeth. A guard approach Jim, Elisabeth, and Lonnie and informed them that Commander Taylor wanted to see them. He told Lonnie to wait and that he wanted to speak to the couple first. Then Elisabeth came out with Jim remaining in there for a few extra minutes. Then when Jim came out it was finally Lonnie's turn to go in.

"Ah, Lonnie Miller." Commander Taylor greeted him.

"Yes sir!"

"Let's get straight to the point." he said. "You helped an escaped convict into this colony. Why?"

"Sir, Mr. Shannon is a good man. They didn't plan to have their third child, but it happened. Elisabeth didn't have it in her to get an abortion and Jim didn't want her to at all. So I took them to my dad's house out in the middle of nowhere so that they could have her in secret. Eventually, someone somehow tipped off the population control and they got caught. Jim panicked and lashed out on an officer. Sir, I know what he did was wrong, but you have to see where he's coming from. His family is his life and he reacted because he knew it was going to be torn apart right in front of him. He's also been there for me and my sister when we missed our father. My father has a job out in the middle of nowhere that he's not allowed to talk about and he got it because it pays good and provides. Then he had me and Ariel move closer to the Hope Plaza so that we could easily access the portal if we were chosen to go to Terra Nova. My dad could not come and we feared this. If we were still under his care we wouldn't have a chance and it took a lot of convincing for me to follow his directions. We've barely been able to see him ever since and he is barely allowed to see us during the holidays, so Mr. and Mrs. Shannon always let us spend it with them. They've been nothing but good to us. Please, sir. It's not like I helped a murderer get in, no, I helped a man who was only trying to do right by his family."

Commander Taylor slowly nodded as he sponged all of the information.

"So, how do you think you'll make use for this colony?" Commander Taylor asked him.

"I will work." Lonnie said. "I'll take any job I can get."

"Good." the commander eyed him. "You will have agricultural duty with Jim."

When Lonnie got out of his meeting with the commander, him and his family followed a soldier named Mark Reynolds and Maya as they showed them to their new homes.

"Here we are." Mark stated. He showed the two families their houses which happened to be right across from each other.

"If you need anything, just let us know." Mark told them. "And me and my dear sister will be happy to be of assistance."

Ariel noticed a look of relief fall on Maddy's face when Mark mentioned that Maya was his sister.

"Well, let's get settled into our homes together." Elisabeth suggested.

"After you guys." Lonnie said. Then they all proceeded to walk into the Shannons house.

"I get the room with the most windows!" Maddy declared as she ran towards the bedrooms.

"I get the first pick." Josh told her as he walked towards the bedrooms too. "I'm the oldest."

Ariel followed them and looked at the bedrooms with them.

"Whatever, Josh." Maddy said. "First come, first serve."

"She does have a point." Ariel told him.

"Whose side are you on?" he asked her.

"I'm not taking sides!" Ariel put her hands up in defense. "I'm just saying Maddy got to this room quicker."

"Whatever." Josh said.

"Well, I'll be hanging out with your parents and my brother until you stop being a dick." Ariel told him flatly as she exited the room.

"There's no room for me." Zoe said sadly as Ariel entered the kitchen.

"We'll figure something out, sweetie." Jim told her.

She looked at him in silence which caused Jim's face to fall.

"She doesn't know me." Jim told Elisabeth and Lonnie.

"Last time you saw her, she was barely three." Elisabeth told him.

Jim walked over to Zoe and knelt in front of her.

"So, we need to find a bed for-" Jim pretended to not remember her name. "Oh, what's your name again? Oh, that's right. Martha."

Zoe shook her head at him giving him a funny look.

"Oh!" Jim exclaimed. "Right, right, right, Priscilla!"

Ariel giggled as Zoe gave him another look. She loved when Jim decided to be silly.

"Oh, not Priscilla."

Zoe shook her head again smiling.

"Oh wait." Jim said as he snapped his finger. "I got it. It's Zoe."

Zoe nodded and grinned.

"Well, hi Zoe." Jim greeted holding out his hand for her to shake as she shook it. "My name is Alfredo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Zoe giggled again and pulled her hand out of the handshake.

"What?" he asked feigning abruptness.

"No it's not." she stated.

"Well, what is it?" he asked her in a more hopeful tone.

"Daddy." Zoe smiled at him.

Ariel nearly had tears in her eyes as she hugged Lonnie. Maddy declared that she and Zoe would share the bigger room and walked in there with her.

"Great, one big happy family." Josh said sarcastically. "Like nothing ever happened."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elisabeth asked him.

_Oh great, _Ariel thought.

Josh sat down on his bed in anger then proceeded to answer her.

"I suppose we're just supposed to forget about the last years we had to fend for ourselves because Dad was in jail."

"Josh!" Elisabeth scolded.

"You are so bitter!" Ariel said to him.

"Ariel, just shut up!" Josh said followed by Elisabeth _and _Jim scolding him. "It's his own damn fault! If Dad didn't lose his cool and punch that cop, he probably would've just gotten away with a fine like Lonnie did when he beat up your rapist, have you ever thought about that?"

Ariel quickly approached him and slapped him across the face.

"Don't you _dare_ bring the trauma from my past that I'm _trying_ to leave behind into this new world!"

"A new world?!" Josh said. "Are you fucking delusional? Ariel, we're merely in a parallel universe or whatever! We still have our memories from the past. Don't you think if this was really a 'new world' or a 'fresh start' that I'd forget about the pain of me having to leave Kara behind?"

"Oh, don't make this all about you!" Ariel said. "Just because you're choosing to be a negative asshole does _not_ give you the right to DRAG EVERYONE ELSE DOWN WITH YOU!"

Ariel proceeded to slap him again then storm out of the house.

"See, Josh? Look what you did!" she heard Jim say but she didn't stick around to hear how the conversation would have went.

She walked with tears in her eyes not knowing where she was going and not caring. Lonnie didn't follow her because he knew that when got in that mood, it was best to let her cool off.

_I can't believe him! What is wrong with him?! _

The next thing she knew, she ran straight into somebody's back then fell to the ground.

"What the?" he turned around and noticed her on the ground. "Oh damn! Are you alright?"

Ariel nodded as he offered her his hand to help her up. She took it then apologized.

"Don't worry about it." he told her. "Did you come here with the 10th pilgrimage just now?"

He was a mixed boy with a short Afro and he had an Australian accent which Ariel was attracted to.

"Yeah." she told him. "I just got here actually."

"Are you alright though?" he noticed her eyes were swollen.

At first she was confused then she realized what he was talking about.

"Oh, yes!" Ariel said. "My twin brother was a dick to me. Well, he's not REALLY my twin brother, just one of my very best friends who got recruited here because of his mom being a doctor and we look alike so we might as well be twins in our own way."

Ariel realized she was talking too much and the guy chuckled.

"So did your parents win the lottery or something like that?"

Ariel's face fell then he immediately apologized.

"It's okay." she told him. "No, I live with my brother. My dad wanted us to live close to the Hope Plaza but his job required him to live pretty far. He bought our lottery ticket every year and soon he's going to come back to us. My mother passed away because the horrible air quality worsened her asthma and she ended up having a fatal attack."

"I'm sorry to hear that." he told her. "Unfortunately, racism still exists in the 22nd century, maybe even here, but anyway, so my mom was murdered by a white supremacist in 2144 at a bar."

"I'm so sorry." Ariel told him.

"She just sat down to have a drink at the bar after investigating the crime scene of an unidentified man who was murdered, maimed, and mutilated. They were never able to identify who this man was or catch who did it but I'll bet anything if my mom were still alive, she would've found the monster who did it. But a bald man with a swastika tattooed on his scalp shouted racial slurs at her and told her to leave. She refused to leave so he broke a bottle and forced it straight through her neck."

"I'm so sorry." Ariel said again.

"Why are you sorry." he teased. "It isn't your fault. Anyway, my dad lives just down the block from me actually."

"You have your own place?" Ariel asked.

"Well, I have three roommates, but for the most part, yes." he smiled at her. "We have jobs so Commander Taylor allows it."

"How old are you?" Ariel asked him.

"I just turned eighteen, you?"

"I turned seventeen three months ago."

"What do you like to do?" he asked.

"I don't know yet." she laughed. "I just got here."

"Well, how about tomorrow I can show you some good moonshine?"

"I can't." she told him. "I have orientation tomorrow."

"Oh, that's right, I forgot you're a fresh." he smiled at her.

"Thanks." she looked at him amused.

"You're welcome, fresh." he winked at her and she giggled.

"Well hey, maybe we can hang out another time?"

"I'd like that." she smiled at him. "What's your name?"

"I'm Max." he said. "I like how we told each other quite a bit about ourselves before knowing each others name."

"Me too." Ariel laughed. "But I'm Ariel."

"That's a lovely name." he said.

"Thank you." she blushed.

"Perhaps we should hang out maybe the day after tomorrow?"

"That sounds good."

"Good." he said. "Meet me here at this time in two days. I'll be looking forward to it."

"Alright." she smiled. Then they parted ways and Ariel decided to stop by the Shannons because she thought her brother was still there.

She knocked on the door and Jim opened it.

"Ariel, you're family." he told her. "You know you don't have to knock."

"Right, I'm sorry." she apologized.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. "I know what Josh said upset you earlier."

"Yeah, I'm fine." she said.

"Well, come on in."

As soon as Ariel stepped in the house Josh was sitting at the kitchen table and Ariel grimaced at the sight of him.

"Ariel, I'm sorry." Josh said.

"Stop." she told him. "I don't want to hear it."

"Ariel, come on."

"Is my brother here?" she asked Jim and Elisabeth ignoring him.

"No, he went home." Jim told her. "Josh, since she's still quite upset, you're grounded. Go to your room."

"This is bullshit." Josh muttered as he stormed to his bedroom.

"Excuse me?" Jim said.

"You heard me!" he said as he slammed his door closed.

"Ugh, that boy is out of control." Elisabeth said. "I am sorry about what he said to you earlier."

"It's okay." Ariel told her. "I don't hate him. I'm just trying to make him get that it is not okay to say things like that to me."

"I completely understand." Jim concurred. "But he's still grounded."

"That's fine with me." Ariel smiled at him. "Are Maddy and Zoe here?"

"Yeah, they're in their room over there." Elisabeth informed her.

"Thank you." Ariel said as she walked to the room. She knocked on the door and Maddy opened it to let her in then closed it as soon as she got in.

"Ariel!" Zoe was excited to see her and ran to her and gave her a hug. She hugged Zoe back smiling.

"I heard about what Josh said earlier." Maddy said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ariel told her as she sat down on one of the beds.

"That's my bed." Zoe said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ariel jokingly said. "I shall get up now."

"No, it's okay. You can sit on it." Zoe gave permission. "I don't like it anyway. I want to sleep with Mommy."

Ariel and Maddy exchanged glances of awe then they both turned to Zoe.

"Now sweetie, you know you can't do that anymore." Ariel told her.

"Yeah." Maddy agreed. "Daddy is back now and he and mommy need to be able to sleep together so he can protect her.

"I'll protect her." Zoe countered. Ariel couldn't help but smile at how cute Zoe was.

"Then who will protect Maddy?" Ariel asked.

"Maddy is strong and smart." Zoe said. "The monsters should be afraid to mess with her."

Maddy laughed and Ariel did too.

"I'm gonna go see Mommy and Daddy." Zoe said as she got excited and ran out of the room. Ariel closed the door so she could talk to Maddy.

"So, I saw you looking at that soldier that escorted us to our homes earlier." Ariel started a conversation.

"No, that was your brother. It was the same girl he hit earlier when we had to protect Zoe."

"You know damn well I wasn't talking about her." Ariel teased her. "I was talking about the guy that escorted us with her. You kept giving him glances and you were relieved when he said that chick walking with him was his sister."

"Oh hush!" Maddy said. "You know, when you meet a guy, I'm going to embarrass you!"

"I actually did today, I'm not gonna lie." Ariel revealed. "He's a mixed Australian boy and he was pretty cute."

"I know how much you love Australian accents." Maddy giggled. "And I'm not gonna lie, Reynolds has some very comely muscles.

Ariel and Maddy both lied down and laughed and giggled.

Then they both lied back on Maddy's bed sideways so that they could both have space and talked for hours.

"Do you think I'm cut out to have a boyfriend?" Maddy asked her.

"Now why the hell wouldn't you be?" Ariel asked. "You're sweet, intelligent, beautiful, what's not to like?"

"I mean, guys don't usually like nerdy girls, it seems." Maddy said. "Everyone liked Jennifer Starland back in 2149."

"That's because she is a whore with severe egoism, who is willing to put out to anybody in the perdition of the 22nd century." Ariel said. "Unlike her, _you _have beauty _and_ respect for yourself. In the long run, she can't beat that. Why do you care about her anyway? She's a pretentious bitch."

"I don't know." Maddy said. "She seems like the kind of girl Reynolds would like."

"Maddy, you can't just make assumptions like that without getting to know the guy." Ariel told her. "Also, I believe she did come here on the tenth pilgrimage too. I saw her earlier, which I don't mind her being here. Everybody deserves a fresh start in life. I'm hoping it'll change her even though it's highly doubtful, it's still nice to hope."

"I suppose." Maddy said. "Watch Reynolds end up liking her."

"You can keep wishing." Ariel retorted."Well, I'm gonna get home so I can get settled in."

"Alright, good night."

"Night." Ariel exited Maddy's room. "Good night, Mr. Shannon. Good night, Mrs. Shannon."

"Good night, honey." Elisabeth said.

Ariel left the house and went to her new home. As soon as she walked in she saw Lonnie sitting with the woman he hit at the table and laughing with her.

"Oh hey, you!" Lonnie said. "You're finally home!"

"Um hi." Ariel greeted.

"Oh, this is Maya." Lonnie said. "From earlier."

"Hi, I'm Ariel."

"Nice to meet you." she smiled holding out her hand as Ariel shook it.

"You too."

"Well, I'd better get going. I have tower duty in the AM tomorrow. You two have a good evening."

"You too." Lonnie told her and then she left.

"So, you feeling better?" he asked Ariel.

"Yeah." she said. "Josh is an insensitive prick, but I'll get over it."

"Come on, now." he said. "He may have stepped over the line but he didn't mean it. He felt really bad the moment you left."

"I don't care!" Ariel said. "He needs to _get_ it."

"Get what?" he asked.

"I'm not screwing around!" Ariel said. "I will not let him talk to me however he wants."

"I think he gets it now." Lonnie said. "Just cut him a break. He had to leave his girl behind and I know it was very hard on him."

"Whoa, excuse me?!" Ariel said. "I can't believe you're taking his side!"

"Ariel, come on."

"No!" she said. "You _come on_! I deserve to leave my past behind in this place! Isn't that what Terra Nova is all about?"

"Yes, and you are starting over." Lonnie said.

"Not when you're justifying the actions of an insensitive prick." Ariel walked into her room and finally laid in her bed.

_So much for a fresh start, _She thought as she let the tears roll down her cheeks.

**Well, there goes another chapter! If you want a visual on what the characters look like they're on my profile next to their names underneath my story! Check it out! :D**


	3. OTG

When Ariel woke up, the first thing she did was take care of her personal hygiene and then she got dressed. She did not unpack the night before so she did not worry about what undergarments she pulled out. She pulled out a bikini to wear without a care in the world. Then she slipped on a purple plaid tanktop, black shorts, purple flip-flops, and had her black bikini string sticking out. She then put her hair in a side braid and tied the end of it with a black flower hair-tie She smiled at her appearance before she walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, kiddo." Lonnie greeted her. "You still mad?"

Ariel shot him a look before she chugged a few gulps of that disgusting smoothie that all newcomers had to endure during their first few days at Terra Nova.

"Come on, Ariel." he said. "You and Josh have been friends for years. I just didn't want you to throw that away."

"I'll forgive him when I'm ready." she stated bitterly before walking out of the door.

As she walked, she noticed Josh, Maddy, Zoey, and Mr. and Mrs. Shannon. She was not ready to face Josh so she scowled at him from afar then walked in the opposite direction in which they were going. She realized she was in the same place she met Max at the day before and there he was.

"Hey." he said. "This isn't the same time as yesterday, so you're a little over a day early."

"Yeah." she said. "I'm not going to orientation."

"Why not?"

"No reason."

"Well okay, I guess you're hanging out with me." he smiled as he offered her his arm to link.

She barely knew him but she really liked his smile.

"I guess I am." she said as she linked arms with him and walked in the direction that he had in mind.

* * *

Jim and Lonnie both had agricultural duty so they received directions from their supervisor.

"Let's keep it simple." he said. "How about you guys give us a hand with some weeding?"

"Weeding?" Jim repeated. "Yeah, I think we can handle that."

"Good." he smiled. "Yeah, this place needs a whole lot of upkeep."

"You're kidding." Lonnie said as he eyed how huge the weeds truly were. They were nothing like he and Jim had in mind.

"I'll leave you guys to it." the supervisor said as he walked away.

"Okay." Jim whispered mainly to himself in an attempt of self-motivation.

"Don't worry, Mr. Shannon!" Lonnie said. "We've got this!"

They were both given blades to chop them as they climbed the fence.

"Hey Lonnie, can you come up here to help me with this big one?" Jim asked.

"Coming right up!" he said as he climbed up there in a jiffy.

After they got rid of the collosal weed that Jim was referring to, they marveled at the amount of work they got done until they felt crawling on their hands. They looked and noticed it was a huge prehistoric bug. They both got startled and then fell off of the fence yelling and landed on their backs. They looked at each other to confirm they both saw the same thing.

* * *

After a little bit of walking, Ariel and Lonnie both arrived at the house Max told her about.

"Guys, this lovely lady here is Ariel." Max told his roommates. "She may be a fresh but let's make her feel welcome anyway."

"I'm Hunter." a boy with a peculiar face introduced himself.

"And I'm Tasha." a light-skinned girl said.

"I'm Ariel." Ariel introduced herself.

"Awe, that's a pretty name!" Tasha said.

"Thank you." she smiled.

"Uh-huh, you're welcome!"

"Well hey, I need to head to the office real quick." Max told Ariel. "Wanna come?"

"Um, sure." she said.

"We'll be right back." Max told everyone as he walked away with Ariel.

"It was nice meeting you!" Tasha shouted after Ariel.

"You too!" Ariel responded.

A few minutes later they arrived and Mark Reynolds was there. He helped out at the office as his duty on certain days.

"Hey Max, what's up?" Mark said.

"Not much." Max told him. "We're just about finished with one of the turbines for the boat we've been working on. It will literally only take a few more minutes. I just got the rest of the supplies!"

"Awesome!" Mark said. "Hey, you're the new girl from yesterday. I showed you to your house."

_Shit, _Ariel thought.

"Max, you do know she's supposed to be at orientation right?" Mark pointed out. "Can I trust you to make sure she gets there after you do what you need to do here?"

"Yes, of course." Max said as he started to put everything together.

Ariel's face fell in disappointment as Max made the job look incredibly easy.

"Ariel, would you like the honor of applying the last piece?" Max asked.

"Of course!" Ariel's face immediately beamed up.

Max handed her the piece and she added it to the turbine. Then he flicked a switch and it turned on and worked the way it was intended.

"You did it!" Max shouted at the same time as Ariel yelped proudly. He picked her up in a tight embrace and spun her around one time. Ariel was not planning on admitting she enjoyed that anytime soon.

"Wow, that was so cool!" Ariel exclaimed.

Ariel and Max just finished up a turbine made of skeuomorph resources.

"Great job!" Mark complimented. "But it's time for you to head to orientation. Don't let this knucklehead get you in trouble."

"Oh, shut up!" Max said jokingly. "She'll be there."

Then they walked out of the room together.

"I hope you know I'm not really going to orientation." Ariel said as she walked with Max.

"I know." Max smiled. "You're hanging out with me, remember?"

"But you just told him-"

"I know, I know." Max said. "I just said that to keep him happy. Reynolds is a cool dude, but as a soldier it is his duty to help make sure everything runs right in Terra Nova."

"Good point." Ariel said.

"So why didn't you wanna go to orientation anyway?" Max asked as they arrived at his place again. Ariel immediately saw their fourth roommate and to her dismay, Josh.

"Great." she said. "You're here."

"You two know each other?" Tasha asked.

"Nope!" Ariel said. "I don't know him anymore!"

"Ariel come on." Josh started.

Ariel made "la da da da da!" sounds to interupt him.

Josh just fumed and gave up.

"So, how was your day at the office, sweetheart?" Hunter asked Max playfully to lighten the mood.

"Not bad." Max said. "We finished another hydroturbine today and Ariel helped at the last part."

"Well good job." Hunter smiled at Ariel.

"Thank you." she smiled back.

"So who's this fresh?" Max asked referring to Josh.

"My name is Josh." he said.

"Max." Max said. "Glad to meet you. So uh, who's up for a little OTG?"

"Yes!" Skye said excitedly.

"On foot?" Tasha asked. "No way."

Hunter pointed out to Tasha that they were able to get a rover.

"Okay, well we'll meet you guys at the usual spot in 20?" Skye asked.

"Yeah." Tasha said as she turned to both Ariel and Josh. "OTG on your first days? That's gotta be a record."

Then the group separated. Tasha went with Hunter, Skye went with Josh, which Ariel thanked God for, and Ariel went with Max. A few minutes later, Ariel and Max arrived at the gate.

"So, what now?" Ariel asked.

Max grinned at her as he slipped through.

"You're kidding!" Ariel said shocked. "Get back in here!"

"I said we were going OTG." Max said from the other side.

"OTG? What-"

"Outside the gates."

"I don't know." Ariel said.

"Don't worry." Max told her. "I'll protect you."

Ariel smiled then decided to slip through the fence. Then she ran with Max into the jungle and met up with Tasha and Hunter who were on a rover.

"Took you guys long enough." Hunter said.

"Well, I had to reassure this little lady here that there is nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, Max is always protecting me!" Hunter said in a mock princecss voice before returning to his normal tone. "He'll protect you."

Tasha laughed at Hunter. She always thought he was funny.

A few moments later, Josh and Skye arrived which caused Ariel to break eye contact.

"Finally!" Hunter said. "We were about to leave without you!"

_I wish we did,_

"Get ready to go OTG, freshes." Hunter said as Max and Ariel climbed into the rover with him and Tasha.

Everyone realized somebody had to sit on somebody's lap to make room in that little vehicle, so Ariel sat in Max's lap while Tasha and Hunter were in the front. Josh looked disapprovingly at Ariel before he and Skye climbed in. They arrived at a beautiful waterfall and Ariel was amazed.

"So you guys wanna take the shortcut?" Skye suggested.

"No way!" Tasha said. "We'll meet you there."

"Do you wanna take the shortcut?" Max asked Ariel.

"What is the shortcut?"

"Swimming!" he smiled.

"I am so glad I decided to wear my swimsuit underneath my clothes today!" Ariel exclaimed.

Josh, Skye, and Max stared at her.

"I mean, yeah!" Ariel said. "Let's take the shortcut!"

Ariel and Skye proceeded to strip off their clothes to reveal their bikinis.

"I like your bathing suit!" Skye said to Ariel.

"Thank you." Ariel smiled at her. "I like yours too!"

She could not be mad at Skye for bringing Josh around because it was not her fault she was mad at Josh.

"Thanks!" Skye said. She was wearing a blue sky-print bikini while Ariel was wearing a black bikini which consisted of crochet bottoms and a black flower on the top.

Just then they heard a roar in the distance.

"It's just a howler." Skye said. "They sound worse than they really are."

Then she jumped in the water. Ariel got excited then jumped in after her. Then the boys came after them.

"Hey, you guys wanna see something cool?" Skye asked.

"Sure!" Josh said following her.

"I'll stay back and enjoy the water!" Ariel said. "I just wanna enjoy my swim."

"Alright, suit yourself!" Skye said.

Ariel knew she was only doing that to avoid Josh. She was honestly pissed that Josh tagged along on this little adventure. She skipped orientation to get away from Josh, but he just seemed to follow her. Before she knew it, Ariel suddenly felt something underneath her. She was startled but then screamed when she rose up from the water. Then she realized she was just on Max's shoulders and there was not anything trying to eat her.

"Max, you scared me!" she said.

"Sorry!" Max laughed.

"I thought you were a fricken dinosaur!" she said.

"Oh, thanks, Ariel. That really hurt my feelings." Max said jokingly.

"You know what I mean!" she laughed.

Then, Max threw her back so that she was underwater again and she rose to the surface.

"Jerk." she joked.

Max grinned at her.

"Come on, guys!" Skye called after them. "We're about to leave you!"

"We're coming!" Max shouted.

Max and Ariel stepped out of the water then caught up with Skye and Josh as they left the waterfall.

**Well, another chapter has been written! Thank you guys so much for the reviews! They really make me smile! :D**

**Also, in case you didn't get the chapter 1 update, if you're having trouble imagining what my OC characters look like, there's a reference to the character's on my profile page! Check it out! :)**


End file.
